Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington held a face-off and agreed to meet in an upcoming wrestling match. The confrontation followed Tsarukyan's dominant 13-1 victory over Urijah Faber at a recent RAF event. Both fighters confirmed their willingness to compete in the wrestling format. No official date or venue has been announced for the potential matchup. This would represent Covington's entry into competitive wrestling outside of traditional MMA.
Arman Tsarukyan and Colby Covington have agreed to face each other in a wrestling match after the two fighters held a face-off following Tsarukyan's victory over Urijah Faber at a recent RAF event. No official date or venue has been announced for the potential matchup.
Tsarukyan, 29, carries a 23-3-0 record and holds the number-one ranking in the UFC lightweight division. The Russian fighter, who trains out of American Top Team, stands five-foot-seven with a 72-inch reach. He lands 3.85 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 50 percent and adds 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him one of the more well-rounded competitors in the sport. His most recent outing was a dominant 13-1 performance over Urijah Faber at the RAF event that preceded the confrontation with Covington.
Covington, 38, holds a 17-5-0 record and trains with MMA Masters out of the United States. Known by his nickname "Chaos," the five-foot-eleven welterweight owns a 72-inch reach and has built much of his MMA reputation on relentless wrestling, averaging 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes. He lands 3.81 significant strikes per minute, though his striking accuracy sits at 38 percent. This wrestling contest would mark his first competitive appearance in the format outside of traditional MMA.
Both fighters confirmed their willingness to compete, though the arrangement remains without formal sanctioning or scheduling details.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the top-ranked lightweight contender, giving any public appearance significant divisional attention
- Covington's wrestling credentials are central to his MMA identity, raising the competitive stakes of the format crossover
- The style matchup pits two orthodox fighters with nearly identical reach against each other on the mat, where both have proven credentials
- No official confirmation of date, venue, or organizing body means the event remains unscheduled
